Ecuador Favorite Adventures
OUR FAVORITE ADVENTURES
Ecuador
Our Ecuador Favorite Adventures
Our Ecuador Favorite Adventures
Ecuador has so much to offer from biking, hiking, birding and beyond. We explored a lot, and also left many stones unturned. Here are a few of our favorite adventures.
# 1. Biking Down Volcanoes
In addition to hiking up big volcanoes in Ecuador, you can also bike down them. The most popular ride is down Cotopaxi. This is a short downhill on a dirt road, but it’s a great way to see Cotopaxi if you aren’t going there already. Another good ride is down Chimborazo (there are companies in Riobamba who will drive you to the top). Karl chose a longer (40K) cross country route with Juan who owns Finca Castillo de Altura from the town of San Juan into the park to the entrance of the park. If you are really up for some suffering, you can ride from there all the way up to the first refugio and then bike back to San Juan (Juan called this the Chimborazo Extremo).
# 2. Birding in Mindo
Mindo is one of the best places in the world to go birding. Bring a good set of binoculars and you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful and colorful birds in the world. We chose to stay at the more remote Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve outside of Mindo but there are lots of other campgrounds and lodges you can stay in closer to “downtown” Mindo.
# 3. Climbing Volcanoes
As you drive down the Avenida of the Volcanoes, you are surrounded by huge volcanoes on each side. There are many to choose from, including Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and Fuya Fuya. There’s also two volcanoes that are very close to Quito. Most people take the Teleferico (cable car) and summit the Ruca Pichincha. But a great alternative is to get a ride to the top of Guagua Pichincha, hike to the top of Ruca Pichincha and then take the cable car back down into Quito where you can visit one of its brewpubs (see below) to celebrate. This is not a simple hike, so make sure you either go with a guide or get good directions (and a ride to the top of Guagua Pichincha) from someone who has done it like Arie.
# 4. Drinking Artisanal Beer
Unlike most of the other countries we have been to on our trip, Ecuadorians know how to make good artisanal beer. Some of our favorite brew pubs include Paramo, outside of Quito (our favorite is the Pale Ale with the green label) and Jodoco in Cuenca (our favorite beer there is their Trippel).
# 5. Exploring Ecuador’s Colonial Cities and Towns
Ecuador includes numerous beautiful colonial towns and it’s not surprising that these towns are also some of the most popular places for westerners in general to retire to in Ecuador. Quito is interesting, but Cuenca and Vilcabamba are more beautiful. Keep in mind that like many big Latin American cities, Quito is not immune to crime. Try not to carry anything in your pockets or in backpacks that can be opened when you aren’t aware.
# 6. Exploring Otovalo
Otavalo is a great base in northern Ecuador from which to climb the nearby volcanoes, to explore indigenous communities and to visit the Otavalo market. We stayed at La Luna Hostel (http://www.ioverlander.com/places/318-otavalo-la-luna-hostel), which is a hostel with an informal campground and a warm common area with a fire which is nice since the evenings can be a bit cold, at least during their “winter” months of July and August.
# 7. Soaking in Hot Springs
Ecuador has many hot springs including 15 described in Hot Springs of the Andes. Ecuador’s most famous thermal field is Papallacta, 43-km east of Quito. Perhaps the most famous (and nicest) hot spring in Papallacta is Termas de Papallacta. It’s not quite as quiet as other hot springs we have been to, but if you go during the week and camp or stay there, it’s pretty tranquil. It’s also surrounded by some amazing cloud forest and there’s a road that starts in the parking lot that leads to the entrance of the beautiful Cayambe Coco Ecological Reserve, which offers great hiking. There are also numerous hot springs in Baños.
# 8. Scuba Diving in the Galapagos
We did not have time to go to the Galapagos on our trip. We’ve heard mixed reviews about “island hopping” trips to the Galapagos, but we’ve only heard good things about liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Galapagos. However, keep in mind that the diving is not relaxing. Expect to spend most of your time clinging to rocks as strong currents and swells try to rip you off of the rocks. But you should be rewarded with views of schools of hammerheads and manta rays and, if you are lucky, whale sharks. For those that don’t have the funds to go to the Galapagos, you can see some of the same types of amphibians and birds that you can see on the Galapagos, including the Blue Footed Boobies, on Isla de Plata, for a fraction of the price which is why the island is often referred to as the “Poor Man’s Galapagos.”
# 9. Visiting the Rainforest
Ecuador is one of the best places in the world from which to visit the Amazon basin. Many fly to Parque Nacional Yasuni, but it’s also easy to make a shorter trip to the Amazon from Baños and also from Papallacta. The latter involves traveling east from Papallacta to the tiny town of Puerto Misahualli. While in Puerto Misahualli, you can stay at the Sinchi Warmi Lodge (https://www.facebook.com/SinchiWarmis), which is owned and run by indigenous women from a local indigenous community. But if you want a once in a lifetime Amazon experience you’ll need to jump on a plane and go to Yasuni.
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